Networking solutions provider Cisco Systems Inc. has officially opened its new regional office in Singapore and established a manufacturing center in the country.
The new office will house Cisco’s operations management, marketing, customer service, finance, HR and business units. It will also provide partners and customers in Asia Pacific with access to technologies such as IP+Optical, virtual private networking, voice-over-IP, MPLS and home networking via its multi-million dollar technology labs and showcase facilities.
“Singapore is one of our critical bases of operation in the Asia Pacific region,” said Gordon Astles, Cisco’s president for Asia Pacific. “The country plays a crucial role in our ability to provide leading Internet technologies, and customer service and support. Singapore’s excellent infrastructure and the Government’s commitment to the Internet have been key factors in our decision to expand here.”
Cisco had already received its operational headquarters (OHQ) status from the Singapore Government in 1998. For the past few years, the company has operated out of its office in the vicinity of the Orchard Road shopping belt. Now, Cisco has located its regional office in the heart of the financial district, in the recently opened Capital Tower, which also houses Singapore’s Government Investment Corporation.
The new office uses leading edge technologies such as IP telephony and wireless LAN (WLAN), according to a company statement. Every workstation is equipped with a Cisco IP phone and employees can access the corporate network using Cisco Aironet WLAN equipment.
At the opening ceremony officiated by Lim Swee Say, Singapore’s acting minister for Environment and senior minister of state for Communications and Information Technology, Cisco also announced that it is locating its Asia manufacturing operations in the country.
Asia is expected to play an increased role in the company’s global manufacturing system to lower costs and shorten customer lead times, Cisco said in a statement. The Singapore-based group will oversee all aspects of the company’s contract manufacturing operations in the region.
Cisco outsources a majority of its product manufacturing to a network of contract manufacturing partners. These firms are tightly integrated into Cisco’s internal network, allowing them to function as extensions of the company, the statement added.
